Electric bulb handling device



April 14, 1953 A. c. FJELD ELECTRIC BULB HANDLING DEVICE Filed June 12, 1950 Albert 6. Fje/d INVENTOR.

BY M

Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFic ELECTRIC BULB HANDLING DEVICE Albert C. Fjeld, Minot, N. Dak.

Application June 12, 1950, Serial No. 167,559

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in devices for handling electric bulbs, that is, for installing, removing and replacing electric bulbs in and from their sockets, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described, which is particularly intended for remote handling of bulbs in poorly accessible locations, such as on high ceilings, chandeliers, farm yard lights, etc.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for frictionally engaging a bulb so as to prevent any accidental or unintentional displacement thereof while it is being handled.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its eflicient and dependable operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view thereof, this being partially broken away so as to re veal its construction, and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views,

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of an electric bulb handling device which is designated generally by the reference character It and embodies in its construction a support member I2 provided with a screw-threaded. bore M to receive an end portion of an extension shaft It, the support member l2 also being provided with two pair of transversely spaced and upwardly projecting ears it.

A pair of coactin jaws 2!! are disposed in spaced, co-planar relation and are pivotally mounted by suitable pins 22 between the respective pairs of cars l8, the jaws 29 having inwardly arcuated free end portions 2A which, by virtue of the pivotal mounting 22 of the jaws, are movable toward and away from each other.

A pair of transverse bars 25 are secured to and extend through the free end portion 24 01 the jaws 20 and a pair of tension springs 28 are suitably connected to end portions of these bars, whereby the jaws 26 are urged together.

Moreover, an elongated sheet of flexible material such as rubber, or the like, indicated at 39 has the opposite end portions thereof wrapped around and secured to the respective bars 26 as indicated at 32, while an intermediate portion of the sheet depends from the bars and constitutes a bulb receiving pocket 34 disposed between the jaws 20, as shown.

Consequently, when the device is applied to an electric bulb shown at 36 in Figure 2, the free end portions 24 of the jaws 26 will first be spread outwardly as indicated at 39, and after the bulb assumes its position in the pocket 34, the free end portions 24 of the jaws 20 will be drawn inwardly, that is, toward each other by the springs 28 so as t firmly sustain the ngagement of the device with the bulb.

Moreover, the flexible sheet of material 30 will frictionally engage the bulb 35, so that by simply rotating the extension shaft Hi the bulb may be installed in or removed from its socket, as the case may be.

In order to prevent any displacement or misalignment of the jaws 20 relative to one another, the fulcrumed portions of the jaws are provided with opposing cranks 40, 42, the former crank being equipped with a projecting tongue 44 which engages a notch or recess 46 formed in the free end portion of the crank 42. In this manner positive coaction of the jaws is assured.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and, accordingly, further description thereof at this time is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an electric bulb handling device, the combination of a support member adapted for attachment to an extension shaft and provided with two pairs of transversely spaced and upwardly projecting ears, a pair of spaced co-planar jaws pivotally mounted between the respective pairs of cars and movable toward and away from each other, a pair of transverse bars secured to the respective upper extremities of the jaws, a pair of tension springs connecting together the ends of said bars and urging said jaws together, and an elongated sheet of flexible material having opposite ends thereof secured to the respective bars, said sheet dependin from said bars and affording a bulb receiving pocket disposed between said jaws.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a pair of cranks provided on the respective jaws adjacent the pivotal connection of the latter to said ears, and means operativeiy connecting said cranks together.

3. The device as defined in claim 2 wherein said means comprise a projecting tongue provided on Number 5 388,776 606,736 809,985 840,102 1,482,147 1,757,71 1

one of said cranks, the other crank being formed Number Name Date Hall Aug. 28, 1888 Platt et a1. July 5, 1898 Rundberg Jan. 16, 1906 Bates Jan. 1, 1907 Potts Jan. 29, 1924 Grinnell May 6, 1930 Clarkson Jan, 6, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France June 14, 1907 

